Day 288..."Brutal images...Running to win the prize"

Destruction will come with the horrible images of deaths of women and children. (brutally mentioned) The reason for all of this is stated in an agricultural metaphor..."You have plowed iniquity;you have reaped injustice;you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own way." Jeremiah when faced with death shows courage and is spared by the King. Urijah, on the other hand, runs and is put to death. The life of a prophet is dangerous. Who wants to tell a message of destruction? Or that the city is doomed. The hope the Lord will relent and the fear of consequences of killing an innocent man keep Jeremiah alive. Paul, works on the side, (I believe as a tent maker to earn a living) he seems a little defensive in having to explain all of this in detail. Other missionaries required support. Paul always seems to give extra explanation...people then and now can get suspicious of something they have not encountered before. I love the image of a runner..."Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified." What an image! Running in the Christian life to win. Not filling the air with words! Got to go. An imperishable wreath stands for having a goal beyond the world. Time to do some training! This race is more important than any 5K or 10K.